pollution

Oil from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill continues sinking to the Gulf of Mexico’s sea floor. Now a researcher from the University of Delaware is shedding light on a phenomenon he’s calling Marine Oil Snow.

The trailer of a big rig that went over the edge of the Dames Point Bridge the Friday before Christmas remains in the water more than a month later, and now its load of water bottles is seeping into the river.

Amid concerns that leaky septic systems are polluting waterways, a Florida Republican senator filed legislation Wednesday that would require the Florida Department of Health to identify all septic systems in the state by Jan. 1, 2021 and provide a map of the systems.

Amy: My investigation started with the question: Who are central Florida’s biggest polluters?

Nikki: Amy Green covers the environment. And this week we are marking Sunshine Week, which was established by the American Society of News Editors to highlight the importance of freedom of information and open government.

Exposure to polluted air, water and soil caused nine million premature deaths in 2015, according to a report published Thursday in The Lancet.

The causes of death vary — cancer, lung disease, heart disease. The report links them to pollution, drawing upon previous studies that show how pollution is tied to a wider range of diseases than previously thought.

New research shows pollution in the Gulf of Mexico is coming from a source close to home: our closets. A team of scientists say plastic microfibers in polyester, nylon and acrylics are washing out of household fabrics and into the ocean.

Proposed notification guidelines for pollution are raising hackles among the state’s major industries. The rule changes come after millions of gallons of contaminated water were spilled at a Mosaic phosphate plant.

Representatives of utility companies and municipalities told environmental regulators this week they are concerned that a proposed pollution-notification rule could place excessive reporting burdens on industry and local governments.

The FBI wants to discover who sent an envelope containing an unknown white powder to the company on whose property a massive sinkhole opened, causing contaminated water and fertilizer to flow into Florida's main drinking water aquifer.

The FBI said Saturday it testing the powder delivered Friday to Mosaic Corp.'s Tampa area headquarters. The powder is being tested to see if it is dangerous.

After the release of more than 200 million gallons of contaminated water at a Polk County phosphate plant, Senate Majority Leader Bill Galvano said Friday he will lead the Senate's effort to strengthen a state law to make sure Floridians are promptly notified of major pollution threats.

A new study has found that Marine and Navy personnel stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C. are dying at a higher rate than personnel at other bases, the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry’s study backs up concerns that contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune may be tied to cancers and illness in as many as 1 million people.

Florida environmental groups are trying to persuade dog owners to pick up and dispose of waste, rather than leave it on the ground to wash into storm drains.

Bacteria from animal feces cause pollution and a public health threat in bodies of water all over the state, researchers say. Dogs aren’t the only source – farm animals and wildlife contribute, as well -- but it’s one that people can easily control.

Dog waste is particularly nasty stuff, says biologist Eric Mayer of BioPet Vet Lab, an animal genetics research company based in Knoxville, Tenn.